A Gethsemaneful Perspective

A Poem: Love's Sweet Melody

2013-05-17T03:10:00.002-06:00

My love, my sweet, my melody,
Won't you please come away with me.
Stay with me, pray with me;
Be with me forever more.

A chorus of tears divides us, unites us.
Unties all those deceptions,
Those lies we did believe.
It was He who came to deceive.

He won or so it was,
Then came the blood.
Our Grace, our Victory,
humbled we on our knees.

My love, my sweet, my melody,
Won't you please come away with me.
Stay with me, pray with me;
Be with me forever more.

Evangelization Fatigue

2013-04-23T02:10:00.000-06:00

This is something I'm seeing many people affected by, and I myself have experienced it. It's when you're speaking with someone about the Faith and it just goes on and on seemingly without end. Explaining the Faith, especially to unwilling ears, can be quite an exhausting feat if your are in it for a lengthy period of time.

As a result of the exhausting toll, I have noticed Christians are becoming less likely to engage potential converts in the long run. It almost seems as though they give their best evidences in one shot and if the person on the other end isn't instantly convicted and converted they move on. It's understandable in the convenience culture we now live in that this lack of patience exists. We each need to retreat and ask ourselves if we really believe that Jesus Christ is God, Lord, and Saviour. We need to be willing to deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). If we really believe such things -if we really love the Lord with all our mind, all our soul, and all of our strength (Luke 10:27)- we should be willing to engage with people for the long haul.

I remember well my first experience with evangelization fatigue. You can actually find and read remnants of it here on the YouTube video, "Larry King Live: Creflo Dollar," on Page 2 and Page 3. It's actually a very lengthy exchange and you might have a bit trouble navigating all the different posts. This occurred over the course of a couple if weeks if you can believe that, and resulted in one of most intimate experiences with the Holy Spirit I have had. I came under attack from demons towards the end, and heard the Lord speak to me audibly twice.

The first thing He said to me was when I was avoiding revealing that I was Catholic to the fella because I really didn't want to get into that and thought I would lose my advantage. He said, "Why are you ashamed of Me?" The second time He spoke was later that same night when I saw a physical demon standing ominously on my right as I went to bed and I was getting faint with fear. He said, "I Am ... the Lord," and instantly I felt His peace within me. Such a warm, loving peace it is.

My friends, what St. Paul said to the Ephesians is very true and we need to keep this in mind as we spread the Gospel to all the nations. "For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and power, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places." (Ephesians 6:12) If you haven't already done so, I definitely recommend you familiarise yourself with the sixth chapter of Ephesians as it is very vital.

The reason I mention it, is because I learned as much during this whole battle. I was exhausted. Beyond exhausted. There came a point where I struggled even to get back on the computer, let alone YouTube and see the inevitable responses. I didn't want to talk any longer and I wanted it all to end. Then one evening in the midst of this, the Holy Spirit spoke to my spirit saying to pray the rosary. "Each time pray the rosary." And so I began to pray one decade of the Rosary before I would respond, and another decade of the Rosary after I had responded. I would even pray a decade before reading the responses too after a while. It helped. It helped tremendously. I began to see that I had become possessive during these exchanges and was seeing it as my own doing, when really it was the Lord's work and not my own. I had no claim in it. So little by little I began to offer more and more of it to the Lord and trusting Him instead of my own ability. I was once weary and heavy burdened, but in His patience and mercy the Lord showed me how to come to Him and find rest. And the new yoke He gave me was light and sweet indeed. (Matthew 11:28-29)

Needless to say this entire event was a game changer for me. Now the work is easy as it truly is His work. I'm just a brush in the hand of the artist as St. Josemaria Escriva would say, to paraphrase. I don't need to pray so intently, as I pray much now naturally. I know the signs when I start getting caught up in the battle, and get right back into praying a decade before and after just as the Lord taught me.

I believe I've mentioned this elsewhere on the blog, but one of my biggest vices is intellectual pride. That's part of the reason I've taken St. Rose of Lima as my patron Saint because I need all the help I can get. How do I combat this? Well, in addition to the importance of prayer and rendering unto God what is God's above, I use Scripture. I read the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Wisdom, and Sirach a lot to remind myself that as much as I think I know, I know nothing. One of my favourite set of verses is from Sirach, "The beginning of human pride is to forsake the Lord;the heart has withdrawn from its Maker. For the beginning of pride is sin, and the one who clings to it pours out abominations." (Sirach 10:12-13) I also enjoy reading the book of Job in order to put myself in my rightful place as a mere creature and specifically enjoy reading Job chapters 38-41. You must guard yourself, striving always to listen and follow our Lord Jesus Christ.

Play By Play: My Thoughts on The Boston Marathon Bombings

2013-04-16T20:51:00.000-06:00

The following are my thoughts and theories regarding the Boston Marathon Bombings. They will be up dated periodically, so be sure to check back.

2:13am EST April 19, 2013
My earlier suspicions appear to have been confirmed in these last several hours. First, that it was a domestic threat -not related to any international terror groups. Secondly, I made a claim earlier that there would be communication within the week. It sounds like the unknown subjects were recognised on campus, authorities were contacted, and eventually they escaped in a stolen vehicle.

3:08am EST April 17, 2013
I just wanted to address this notion of there being a Saudi national in custody for anyone who still believes that. This was actually falsely reported by the New York Post, but not before it was picked up by both Fox News and many alternative news outlets (1,2). It was confirmed that there was no one in custody nor any persons of interest, period. As of posting this there are still no suspects.

12:16am EST April 17, 2013
Oh and there seems to be an emphasis on the word "drill" by certain people. That's just an ordinary word that was used correctly. Look at it this way, a fire drill is still a fire drill even when there is a fire.

12:00am EST April 17, 2013
It has been procedure for the bomb sniffing dogs to be present most especially since 9/11 -and they have been at every Boston Marathon since then. It's also common for bomb squad to be present for all major events such as the Superbowl, the Olympics, etc. However, they can really only sweep before the event (which they did for BM) since the dogs are useless in that open public place with lots of people and smells which is why despite being present at the finish line the dogs did not pick up the bomb. Also the bomb itself seems to have consisted of ball bearings and gun powder -so not C4 or other specific bomb material/scent.

So, the presence of the bomb sniffing dogs is nothing out of the ordinary.

10:03pm EST April 16, 2013
Also, I do not believe the suspicious letter sent to a Senator in Mississippi is related. It's highly unusual for a violent offender to change their mode of operation, though it does happen, and a poisoned envelope is a very dramatic change from a bomb. So, if the letter had malicious intent it would be separate and independent from the event in Boston. Such a person may have been planning it for some time and simply saw an opportunity to hide their own actions with the bombings in Boston.

10:00pm EST April 16, 2013
New thoughts. Given that the FBI has said the person in question would likely have spoken about his plans, this tells me a few things. First, it is more evidence that this is a serial bomber as I had originally suspected. Second, it speaks to the motive or personality of this unknown subject. Namely that he may have been a braggart which means this could have been revenge. It's a show of power and control. It does mean that someone probably does know this guy, but it also means an increased likelihood that he'll strike again. That he may become more brazen should he think he winning.

9:50pm EST April 15, 2013
Related to Twitter: A lot of people are retweeting a random picture of a little girl saying that she had died (and often) that she was running on behalf of the Sandy Hook shooting victims. Neither are true and state authorities confirmed the 8 year old that died was actually a boy.

9:44pm EST April 15, 2013
Apparently, none of the departments/agencies had any warning, which is a bit unusual. It may make the perpetrator(s) harder to track. The explosions are his initial communication and it is possible that the media may impact his next step of "communication." If he is still out there, of course -and it certainly sounds like he is.

7:08pm EST April 15, 2013
Update: When I said terrorism below, I was addressing reports of a Saudi national being arrested which was later pulled as they were false. To clarify, I don't believe this has anything to do with Islamic sects or that the threat is outside the US. If organised it would be some sort of a militia, but I doubt it being organised.

6:18pm EST April 15, 2013
So apparently it's a state holiday today in MA, "Patriot's Day" This may or may not have been a factor. If we're still going on the basis of serial bomber, this could be anything from an attack against authority to a statement that America no longer represents what it once did. Or again, this could be related to large numbers of people showing support and celebrating -something he feels he never had or something. And yes, bombers are typically male.

6:00pm EST April 15, 2013
Considering it was several explosions and the way it was set up, I'm think this isn't terrorism. I'm thinking serial bomber. I wonder what his cause is - since you never blow stuff up for the sake of blowing stuff up. I don't think he hates the Boston marathon, but he might resent large numbers of people celebrating for some reason.

Lyric 2.0

2013-04-03T00:41:00.002-06:00

I don't want to play this game any more
I'm tired of being so right, yet so wrong
Please just hear what I have to say
Before I go away

You're broken and bruised
Abandoned, so abused
The past keeps trying to drown you
And you don't seem to give a damn

I can never tell if you mean it
You know you really hurt me so
I'm just trying to love the hurt away
So why can't you let it go

Cause Freedom has set you free
The battle, it is done
Don't you see what you did to me
And I did it all for you

Breathe in and lay down your burden
Come and rest a little while
Forgiveness is not your poison
Those tears can finally fall

Improving Government Food Guides

2013-03-13T03:46:00.002-06:00

March is nutrition awareness month at Foothills Medical Centre, a place I have been visiting a lot lately. Any information sheets I have received I have gone through and made corrections - specifically to any nutritional information. Instead of doing the same with the food guide I picked up, I thought it would do better to write a post about how their approach to health and nutrition is wrong and therefore the information is wrong too.

The following is based on Canada's Food Guide unless otherwise stated.

Despite being updated, the general approach is the same. The focus is on how fat is bad, and how you need "x" number of servings from the four basic food groups. This is wrong. Why? The information provided simply isn't useful. It doesn't inspire change. I honestly do not care if I am getting servings of this or that because it seems arbitrary and more of a hassle. It is said that these things promote health. How do they promote health? What about them makes me healthy. It is like I am being told the punch line of a joke without any real background. These servings of these groups are important, but why? "They promote health," you may reply. "That's nice, but why?" I retort.

Well, how about this - how about we tell them what is in these various foods in their respective groups that actually promote good health? Why not tell the people about B6, vitamin D, folic acid, and phytonutrients. How about instead of associating a different food group with a colour we associate colour with the different colours of various foods and how it corresponds with the nutrition of that specific food. Canada\s Food Guide does touch on this briefly when it states, "Eat at least one dark green and one orange vegetable a day." However, it doesn't actually inform you as to why these colours are important. In actuality, you should be consuming at least one serving of each colour in the rainbow as it corresponds to a fruit and vegetable. Certain colours have nutrients that other colours do not have so in order to get all of the various nutrients and minerals it is good to cover all the colours. For example, dark green and orange fruits/vegetables have beta carotene in them which is good for ensuring you can see. Red grapes -which are technically purple- have resveratrol in them which prevents cancer, dementia, among other things. If you tell the story, the whole story, about these foods then the people will be more likely to be healthy. Perhaps you may think that simple is the way to go and you can go that way if you wish. However, so long as you insist that people are incapable of making their own choices they will continue to be just that.

You may think that constantly being told how bad fat is, is a good idea because most people on a Western diet are overweight or obese, but it really isn't. I advise against a focus on fat period and instead favour telling the story about food. Focusing on the story about those foods which promote health will put the focus on these and consumption of these will likewise increase. As the people eat more good foods now emboldened about the stories behind them, their cravings and desires for fat will decrease. Their behaviour will change to avoid bad fats with consciously deciding to avoid fat. This further prevents the desire of wanting something because you cannot have it. Further, Alberta Health Services does not even have their fat facts right. They cite non- hydrogenated margarine as a healthy option while stating butter and coconut oil are not healthy. The opposite is true in fact. While butter is by no means a health food the human body is better adapted to breaking it down than it is the chemical product that is margarine.

The other thing that is errant is Vitamin D. Canada's Food Guide recommends that all persons over the age of 50 take a supplement of Vitamin D of 400 IUs. There are a few problems with this. First of all, 400 IUs is such an insignificant amount that to your body it is essentially as though you are not even taking a supplement. Studies suggest that one actually needs to supplement between 5000IUs to 10 000IUs before you actually see any benefit to supplementation. Secondly, unless you are outside in direct sunlight for 30 minutes to an hour without wearing sunblock you are not naturally getting enough Vitamin D regardless of age. Thus, a society that spends most of its time inside most certainly needs to supplement Vitamin D. Elsewhere, Canada's Food Guide recommends drinking two glasses of milk per day in order to get your daily dose of Vitamin D. Most milk and alternatives are fortified with Vitamin D so it is like you are pouring your daily supplement into your milk. I recommend against this. Unless it is raw and whole milk, a regular glass of milk only has about the nutrition of a slice of cake and that is being generous. It is basically just empty calories with a high fat and sugar content even if you're drinking skim milk. Would you eat two slices of cake each day and claim it to be healthy? It is actually healthier to supplement Vitamin D on your own then to consume processed goods which often are so high in sodium, preservatives, and fat that it is really not worth it.

I'm Not An Optimist

2012-12-20T18:32:00.001-07:00

I've been told by many that I'm always optimistic or positive. It certainly understand this perspective. Personally, however, I consider myself as being more of a, "hopeful realist."

I do not deceive myself of reality by convincing myself of better things. Things which are not necessarily there. Rather I see the evil thereof and permit it to touch me, but only for a moment. I do not allow it to control me, as that is both reckless and illogical. Getting all bummed out, defeated, and discouraged are simply not useful or productive and so I seldom partake. Being human of course, sometimes it just gets to be too much and I, like anyone else, seek out lighter fare.

I do acknowledge that there is often a silver lining in life's troubles and trials because it is a universal truth, not merely positive fiction. The not so good is a plain to me as the good is. It is the good though which often possesses the most value and so it makes sense to take this instead of letting the not good cover me up as the walls close in.

It is neither positive nor optimistic, but rather the most logical thing to do. As well, there is hope. Hope is not at all like wishful thinking. Wishful thinking desires that which is unlikely and impossible. Hope, however, is logical. It sees the writing on the wall and perceives what could very well be. Hope is more like a hypothesis, drawn up only after knowledge. Thus, hope is informed by knowledge what the senses do not yet perceive. For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen, is not hope. For what a man seeth, why doth he hope for? But if we hope for that which we see not, we wait for it with patience. (Romans 8:24-25)

The good and bad of the past seems to foreshadow the possibilities of the future. So then I can realistically hope, even though I have not yet seen such things.

Evil and God

2012-12-16T20:02:00.000-07:00

I originally wrote this on Thursday, December 13, 2012, which many of us know is the day before that fateful shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Needless to say, I haven't really been up to posting a new blog post, especially given this topic. However, after listening to Robbie Parker, loving father of Emilie Parker, I feel like it is going to be okay. So, without further adieu here is the blog post I had written.

Some people look at the evil in the world and proclaim there is no God. I look at the evil in the world and see clearly that there is a God, there must be. For there can be no evil without good, for if there is no good how can we identify something as being evil?

Good is to evil as light is to darkness, for darkness is as light. It's interesting that the Bible (Genesis 1:3-5; Psalm 139:12) would state this because it is actually scientific fact. In truth there is no such thing as darkness - that's just a word we use to describe an absence of light. So what is evil? Evil is simply an absence of good. What then is good? Only God is Good.

How then can evil be the absence of God, if I may, if God is omnipresent? That seems to be a contradiction of terms. He is always with us, always (Psalm 23:4; Matthew 28:20). When one sins - be it a lie or to commit some great atrocity such as genocide - one sort of opts out of loving God. He is still there, and it is precisely that he loves you that he will not contravene your freewill and instead permits you to sin. After all, love not freely given, is not love at all.

Now not contravening your free will is not to say He condones sin, certainly not. In fact, He does all that He can to dissuade us from our sins. He sends us all kinds of graces, people, and circumstances into our lives to convince us otherwise - but, as we can freely choose good and evil, it is up to us to pay attention and choose to agree with Him and not sin. So when there is sin, it is on us, not God. He does everything except removing freewill - which would be contrary to love - and if we reject Him, then we justly deserve the consequence of sin.

What is the ultimate consequence of sin? He removes Himself from us. He loves us, and so when we tell him by our sins that we do not want Him He gives us precisely what we want (Romans 1:26). However, it is as though He is right there in front of you that if you would only stretch out your arm you could touch Him. It is in this way that He is both removed when we sin, and yet still very present.

When we choose sin, it is like loving someone - truly loving them - and yet they cheat on you time and time again. They resist you and they resist all reason to the point that their reason itself becomes corrupted. Yet they continue to go on and on, and you just keep keeping on because you love them. You do this in the hope that they will one day be faithful and choose to love you as well. That distant prodigal day is why it is worth the while. This is what we are to God when we choose sin, when we choose evil.

This is why evil is truly evil - because it is willed and chosen freely in the contrary to God. That's what really gets it when some human tragedy unfolds. It's not so much that evil has happened -rather, it is that someone actually chose to do evil. This is what cries out to the heavens.

Writing Influences

2012-12-10T23:38:00.001-07:00

There are many things that influence a writer from the various styles and mediums to the simple experience of life.

As far a literature is concerned I suppose it is no surprise that my greatest influence is the Holy Bible. It is an incredible gold mine as far as subject matter and style go. We've got victory and betrayal, murder, redemption, adultery, and romance. These are conveyed in fables, parables, eye witness accounts, beautiful use of symbolism, imagery, and metaphors, as well as a very unique style of recording history. I like to collect different bible versions and so for me it is fascinating to note how the different versions convey the same Truth. Personally, however, I am most partial to the Douay-Rheims Bible and the 1611 King James Bible.

In addition to that, I really enjoy Shakespeare and own all of his work. Hamlet is my favourite and it really is a brilliant work because you can really go deep into the meanings and I don't really think you can come to the end of them. The same can be said, of course, for many of his works.

As a side note, the two influences above are most likely the source of why when I write or speak I say things in a unique manner. That's just how the old English merges with the modern in my head.

The books of my childhood I would say also had an influence on me. In particular, I read The Hardy Boys, Goosebumps and other works by R.L.Stine, several books from Canadian author Eric Wilson, and A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Next I would cite the music I grew up listening to as an influence on how and what I write. Gordon Lightfoot, who is probably one of the greatest Canadian songwriters, is one hell of a story teller! Celtic folks songs have influenced me in a similar way with their epic tome on life and love. Then there are the various writers who wrote songs which the band Westlife performed and these taught me about sensitivity, fragility, and vulnerability. Finally, there is Rammstein -a bit of a shocker, I know. Rammstein is sort of like Shakespeare in a way because there is so much said and so many layers to dig through. Unlike Shakespeare, however, there is a bottom to their depth.

There is one film in particular which has had a major impact on me - James Cameron's "Titanic." Don't agree with the man's politics, but the writing and direction of that film is phenomenal and should be a class staple. It offers especially a lesson in how to construct a a real relationship without falling back on things like sex because you're too lazy to spend time on that relationship. Kind of like real life, in a sense. Also in that scene where Jack draws Rose as one of his French girls we are treated to a rare modern example of erotic beauty. It's literally the only modern example that I can think of - you'd have to go back a couple hundred years for more examples of it.

It's harder to cite influences from television because different writers lead on different episodes. If I went by series I would cite in particular Stargate SG-1 and JAG. Stargate SG-1 because it was my first real exposure to sci-fi/fantasy and really helped to develop my creativity. This is the reason why I write in a variety of writing styles. I cite JAG because it showed me how to write persuasively and form coherent arguments which is something I'm currently learning to apply with my short stories.

A few people have asked about some book projects which may or may not be in the works (I've hinted in the blog). The truth is that given some of the dark subject matter I would be working with in some of the hypothetical books, I am simply not ready to write them just yet. If there was a plan it would be to study J.R.R.Tolkien, C.S.Lewis, and G. K. Chesterton so as to learn how to approach what is sinful and evil without glorifying it. If I wrote a book, I do not want the idol worship that possesses some Harry Potter and Twilight fans. A book is just a book. If anything, it should encourage you to live a worthwhile life, not pretend that you live the life of someone else.

The Point Of Life

2012-12-07T18:56:00.000-07:00

He calls each one of us, He knows our names. Many will hear His voice, look towards Him, but will not follow. Some will hear His voice, however, and will follow.

I remember it well, those early days, though it really was not so long ago. Many times He called but, I just kept on grazing. I'm pretty stubborn and certain of my own ways. Eventually, He walked over, broke my leg, and place me upon His shoulders. Did I ever make a ruckus at this! I bayed and mourned, dazed and confused. He was gentle in voice, comforting me. Despite the desert I was in, He hadn't hurt me. When I got over myself I began to delight in His voice.

My heart would beat a mile a minute now when I heard Him. You could say it was like a young puppy love, or perhaps like a young child who just made a new best friend. However, I was selfish and saw what I though my life ought to be -easy and perfect- and I wanted it badly. I told Him this was what it would be like, and then a demanded of Him. His patience is amazing; I would have given up on myself a long time ago.

He continues to speak gentle words to me as He lead me out into the wilderness. If it were not for His Grace I would have surely bucked away and done my own thing. It was that young love, that unbreakable connection we had that made me follow Him - curious and trusting as to what He might rather have in mind.

In time that quick and dancing fire eased and cooled into a smooth and constant burn - quiet, but sure. I lapped up the drops of living waters He gave and in this way began to see myself as He saw me. There was dread and shame at first, especially given my earlier demands and ultimatums. My stubbornness seemed to me a never ending tantrum. And the sin... like the wound of a thousand dagger stuffed with salt and lemon. I finally saw clearly my own stinking, rotting flesh.

He held me close, consoling me and imparting the peace that only He can give. I now understood and my loving trust deepened for Him. To me He is a favourite comrade - a dear friend whom I am beginning to truly love.

I can see clearly now that - should He will it - I could fall so completely in love with Him that my every moment is spent with Him, for Him, and in Him. It is this that is the meaning and point of life. No matter our state in life; mother, father, husband, wife, priest, accountant, artist, oilman, politician and so forth. Indeed our Lord has so precisely assigned to us our given state that we are so uniquely and perfectly able to, when our love has been duly deepened, that we spend our every moment with Him, for Him, and in Him.

Christians and Food

2012-12-05T19:29:00.002-07:00

"At meals don't speak about food: that's vulgar and unworthy of you. Speak about something noble — of the soul or of the mind — and you will have dignified this physical duty. The day you leave the table without having done some small mortification you have eaten like a pagan." ~St. Josemaria Escriva

This doesn't mean you cannot thank whomever prepared the meal for their service and skill. This ought to left until after the meal and final grace has been completed. Do not comment for the sake of flattery, but rather speak only out of honesty. This alone may take some getting used to.

What should our attitude towards food and drink be? Certainly, we can enjoy what has been set before us with our senses, but these should be used in a higher context. We should be thankful for and enjoy each meal we have received even when our senses tell us otherwise. Those meals we perceive as good then should not be over-enjoyed and should be counted equal with those same meals that do not agree with our senses.

"Never complain of the food, whether it be well or ill dressed; remembering the gall and vinegar of Jesus Christ." ~St. Josemaria Escriva

Meals then, should never be spent focused on the food for this is mere sustenance and not the zest of life. Rather the focus ought to be on God, family, and friends. We should not over serve ourselves so that when we become satiated we have left over food, even if this means that one's plate will not be full. It is not just to waste food and so you should save it and eat it later. Eat the amount that will sustain you, not the amount your eyes and stomach desire. Encourage yourself to try something new, or if at a buffet to try a little bit of everything. By no means should you have a mountain of food on your plate, but rather you should have a morsel of each. It is by eating what you may not like along with what you do like, that you may gain a suffering with which to offer to our Lord Jesus Christ.

"Suffering will never be completely absent from our lives. So don’t be afraid of suffering. Your suffering is a great means of love, if you make use of it, especially if you offer it for peace in the world. Suffering in and of itself is useless, but suffering that is shared with the passion of Christ is a wonderful gift and a sign of love. Christ’s suffering proved to be a gift, the greatest gift of love, because through his suffering our sins were atoned for. Suffering, pains sorrow, humiliation, feelings of loneliness, are nothing but the kiss of Jesus, a sign that you have come so close that He can kiss you." ~Mother Teresa (St. Teresa of Calcutta)

We should be attentive to what we eat and not be simply fill our gullet with garbage. If you're reading this then you have an internet connection which means you have no reason to be ignorant about nutritional science and diet. You can start with Eat to Live and Natural News. However, you ought to be careful not to make an idol of healthy eating or a particular type of eating. Eating healthy will not save you - you are still going to die. You are not even guaranteed length of years so do not put all your stock into being healthy.

"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?" (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Indeed, do not hold up your way of eating as the only right way to eat. Just because the way you eat works for you does not mean that it will work for others. No way of eating is perfect for everyone, though certainly there are a few ways which come close. Do not think less of those who do not eat he same way you do, and certainly do not think lowly of anyone who tries your way and it simply doesn't work out. Rather take this as an opportunity to be humbled. After all, there is no salvation in health food, dieting, or just being healthy in general.

"And on the next day, whilst they were going on their journey, and drawing nigh to the city, Peter went up to the higher parts of the house to pray, about the sixth hour. And being hungry, he was desirous to taste somewhat. And as they were preparing, there came upon him an ecstasy of mind. And he saw the heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, as it were a great linen sheet let down by the four corners from heaven to the earth: Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts, and creeping things of the earth, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him: Arise, Peter; kill and eat. But Peter said: Far be it from me; for I never did eat any thing that is common and unclean. And the voice spoke to him again the second time: That which God hath cleansed, do not thou call common. And this was done thrice; and presently the vessel was taken up into heaven." (Acts 10:9-16)

What then is the point of being healthy if not in some vain attempt to live forever? Indeed, you should do such for the sake and service of God. You do not know the length of days allotted to you, nor do you know what the Lord may ask of you. Therefore it is right to be aptly prepared; all prayed up, well versed in the Faith, and in the best physical condition possible.

"Be not solicitous therefore, saying, What shall we eat: or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the heathens seek. For your Father knoweth that you have need of all these things. Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you. Be not therefore solicitous for to morrow; for the morrow will be solicitous for itself. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof." (Matthew 6:31-34)

Why Bad People Live Long Lives And Good People Die Young

2012-12-03T19:13:00.000-07:00

Man thinks he is so great. It would be adorable if he were not so repugnant in error. He thinks that he has the power to decide who lives, dies, and when. Only God alone decided when man shall breathe his last. This is why so many on death row die of illnesses like cancer and pneumonia often in old age. Truly I tell you that this same man would die that very hour even were he not in prison!

Some of the unrighteous will live long lives. It is so because these still have the potential of their souls being saved. The righteous will some times also live longs lives simply because in length of years many souls will be saved. We are saved by the Lord Jesus Christ. Likewise at times the unrighteous will have short lives. It is a great mercy of God that these do not live long, for after a time their souls would never be saved and many others souls could be lost as a result. The righteous will also have short lives as well. At times they are called back home because they have fought the good fight in good time. Other times their death may cause many conversions and many souls to be saved.

Then there are what we call the innocents - children. It is good to get these baptised as soon as possible because they have been born of original sin. Be honest. You know that they are capable of of grave selfishness, and when they have reached the age of reason -6 or 7, indeed they are well aware of their actions and words. Sometimes children die as a mercy to them, and sometimes it is so that the souls of their parents can be saved in which case the child would not have the resentment that adults often do. The same can be said of miscarriages. Those murdered in the womb we are not certain of their final end, but perhaps in their suffering and death they are saved, but we do not know. It is always best to permit the child to live, be baptised, and then given up for adoption if the case may be.

Many people take issue with the deaths of the Old Testament, that perhaps God is hateful or hypocritical for permitting millions to die - even women and children. If one believe this life is all there is, of course one simply wouldn't get it. It is about eternal life. It is rather of love that God permits such death as he continues to this day for to allow man to live with no chance of being saved is no different than allowing an animal -sick, tumorous, unable to walk to live. It is an action only God alone can take for He knows all things and man in his pride, only thinks he knows.

All have sinned, you see, and the wages of sin is death. This is why we die. Length of days is, but vanity and is as a moment to God. Today we are, but tomorrow, like the chaff of wheat, are tossed into the ovens.

Mental Illness Is Not Increasing

2012-11-20T20:29:00.001-07:00

Perspectives On Mental Health

The following opinion is my own and is not intended to have any authoritative value. Due to the nature of psychiatric drugs please do not stop taking your medication and contact your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

I have casually studied psychology and counselling methods over the years. The study of the mind is indeed a very broad and subjective field. I have learned that one of the best roles a psychologist or mental health professional can play is that of a teacher or guide. In essence, you do not tell a person that they have this disorder or that disorder. Such information is not helpful. Instead one ought to help a person to live with themselves, and then to help them live with others. Proper communication is a big part of this, but something often neglected is that of love (1 Peter 4:8).

Ultimately though a mental health professional is not the solution and such involvement should be minimal at best. Primarily, the sanity of the society is the responsibility of the parents. Many studies show a direct link between the failure of the parents and the struggle of their children, as well as general dysfunction in the society at large. Any other authority figures should not seek to be authoritative as the child naturally recognises this disposition on its own. The same can be said in the case of authority figures for adults. Rather such figure should likewise embrace their roles as leader and guide. Everyone else who remains shall seek to be a friend.

It doesn't matter whether you know a person for a moment or for many years because we should always and everywhere seek to love our neighbour as our self (Mark 12:31). You will not always succeed at such a task, I should know. Make peace with this reality. All that haunts me now are those last remaining moments in time when I have been so cruel to another. I relive those memories over and over again (Psalm 51:5) and I say to myself, "You do not remember all of the details of what really happened, so do not be hard on yourself for what you think you remember happening. Nor are you aware of all of the circumstances and what is was like to be in that other's shoes. You hurt someone, it happens. Let it go and do not do that thing again (John 7:53-8:11)." Eventually I begin to believe myself and move on. With all of these things thus far, you are well on your way to keeping mental illness at a minimum. Yes, a great deal of mental illness can be traced back to incidents and encounters with other people and how we deal with such things.

It does beg the question though; how much mental illness is there in the world at this moment? I do not know. What I do know is that it is no where near as high nor is it necessarily increasing as the media would lead us to believe. For example, it is no coincidence that when pharmaceutical companies attained permission to advertise anti-depressant drugs on television, that supposed cases of depression increased dramatically. These numbers in turn are used as evidence that the incidence of depression is indeed increasing and thus more drugs and funding are needed. It is a vicious cycle.

Media is so effective that we even describe normal behaviours as being disorders. I have heard too many lively and creative people refer to themselves as having ADD or ADHD. Naturally organised people or those who are attentive to detail refer to these lovely attributes as OCD. Shy, introverted, or socially awkward people are referred to as being autistic which I think is an affront to genuinely autistic people. Finally, the thing that really grinds my gears is when beautiful, innocent children are referred to being ADD or ADHD. This is normal youthful behaviour. Aside from that, when you give children processed food and sugar guess what? They can get particularly energetic and obnoxious. If you're having a hard time keeping up you either need to work out more often or perhaps you've forgotten what it feels like to be alive. Don't you dare label those children for something that is obviously at fault with your own self!

In addition, there is this so called clinical depression which means you have a chemical imbalance in your brain. The thing is though a chemical imbalance of this degree is simply a myth. A chemical imbalance is diagnosed the same way ADD is - a compiled list of symptoms. We can know it isn't real because there is no legitimate biological test you can take that will tell you if you have this type of imbalance. There isn't even a blood test! Certainly there are studies that have looked at this claim, but they are inconclusive. They can't tell what a chemical imbalance is either. Thus if it isn't a real biological issue, you can't honestly prescribe a biological solution - a pill - to resolve the issue.

Unless of course the pill in question is a placebo. In fact, a sugar pill would actually work wonders in this case. Often when people think they are getting better, they really do begin to get better. Depression is basically the blues, and it is very normal to experience. Indeed, a person will be depressed many times as they experience the highs and lows of life. Depending on the situation and person, depression will vary from mild to severe (manic). One can better safeguard themselves by developing healthy coping mechanisms. Of course, self-medicating with food or drugs such as alcohol are not healthy and therefore are recommended against their use. Communication with a trusted person is also invaluable to anyone.

Other supposed disorders such as bipolar are imaginary as well. Many people "diagnosed" with this quite often bring it on themselves. Yes, I really just said that. I've noticed that many such people are more sensitive than most so obviously disciplining their emotions would be very important. I'm not saying one should be unemotional, but I am saying you ought to get to a point where you can feel and experience, and then choose how you want to respond. Critical thinking and communication skills are very crucial as is proper stress management. Those diagnosed as bipolar often lack some or all of these things. Do no be ashamed; you can do something about it.

Suicide is a big topic in the news these days and some very good things are being said about how it can be prevented. Did you know that, with some exceptions, incidences of suicide are not increasing? Due to its nature it is something that is not talked about and because suicide is not talked about when we hear of incidences on the news it seems like there is an epidemic. In truth, several people kill themselves every day and unless it can be sensationalised you will not hear about it on the evening news. Talking about suicide does not increase the incidence of it, but rather the suicide rate goes down. This is because by talking about it people are more able to confront the issue which means more people who are considering suicide will get help. This is one of those occasions when you should absolutely seek the guidance of a mental health professional.

The exception to the average suicide rate is the rate of suicide by members in the armed forces - the military. In the United States alone, there are 18 military suicides every single day. Yes, you read that right - 18 suicides every day. Part of the reason pertains to politics and the ethics of war which is a topic for another day. The main reason the rate is so high is because of instead of helping them deal with what they have experienced they are instead pumped with drugs. The real solution involves comprehensive support, compassion, and a lot of time. The rate could be further managed by including many of the things discussed in this post in any and all training as well as maintained throughout one's regular service.

The final topic I would like to discuss is bullying which like suicide has also been getting a great deal of media attention as of late. Did you know that incidences of bullying are not increasing? In truth, the rate of bullying is pretty static, but our awareness of it is not. There is not a single human being who has ever walked this earth who has not been bullied at some point in their life. Even Jesus Christ was bullied (Luke 4:29; Luke 22:63-65; Matthew 27:41-44). Bullying comes in a variety of forms and may be subtle or blatant. We often think of school peers as being the main source of bullying, but it can also occur among friends, family, colleagues, and even strangers. I want you to know that you are not alone. Indeed, you have never been alone (Psalm 23; Matthew 28:20).

Why Post-Secondary Isn't For Me

2012-11-20T00:58:00.000-07:00

I've looked into several trade schools, colleges, and universities - some of which in other countries. It simply isn't for me, at least at this stage in my life. Just the other day I was browsing undergraduate programs and found myself thinking what I usually think, "Why can't I take them all!" People pursuing multiple degrees of course is not something unheard of. However, something new occurred to me. I started looking at these program listings as a sort of challenge, a topical list of books I ought to read. In truth, one could probably use the course listings of a given program to closely mimic what one ought to learn if they wanted to teach themselves. Doesn't work for every topic of course, but a great deal of them you could do that.

In addition to wanting to take everything, I take issue with the four year time commitment a baccalaureate typically requires. From my purely recreational study of educational philosophy I can say with much certainty that most baccalaureates could be attained in two years or less. The official reasoning behind the extended time commitment is to prevent students from becoming overwhelmed with their schedules. The real reasoning behind it is rather simple - schools make more money this way. Post-secondary is a very lucrative industry, especially given it's easy access to taxpayer funds through student loans.

The way post-secondary is stretched out and taught doesn't particularly jive well with how I personally learn. While I'm almost always learning new things each day, whenever something is of great interest to me I usually seize that interest, dive in, and learn as much as I can. My reason for this seemingly obsessive behaviour is because I grasp topics with greater ease and retain a greater amount while I'm interested, then I would if I was trying to just trudge through it. So really, it's a more efficient way for me to learn.

Of course, the way post-secondary could work in my favour is by basically first learning all that I can on my own. Most universities have exceptions to the time commitment and so if I prove proficiency by way of exams I could make up some of the requirements and very likely earn my baccalaureate in two years like I ought to, and likely with high honours as well.

Some universities, such as the University of Alberta, allow non-students to audit a wide variety of courses. This means that you could take a given course just as you normally would, but you get no credit for it and is great if you're simply interested in learning more about what interests you. Not to mention, it's about 50% cheaper than pursuing an actual degree. I can see myself utilizing this so that I can sit in on some of courses taught by Professor Stephen Kent who is a renowned expert on Scientology, among other things.

Speaking of cost, post-secondary expenses are through the roof! Part of my reasoning for looking at foreign schools is because countries with a weaker currency compared to my own often offer the same decent quality at a cheaper cost. For example, the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines offers a high standard of education which is often associated with McGill, Oxford, or Stanford. Now, the Philippine Peso is very cheap compared to the Canadian Dollar, and so a full four year BA in Communication Arts with everything included only actually comes to about $1600 in Canadian funds. Even if I fly back and forth from Canada for all my major breaks it is still cheaper than the cheapest Canadian school.

At the end of the day, it's like I said to a friend recently. As long as I can learn what I want to learn on my own, I see no need to pursue one very expensive piece of paper. Besides, there are a number of people in public life who have degrees and who really should consider getting a refund for those degrees. For example, Prime Minister Stephen Harper should ask for a refund on his economics degree because it's obvious he failed to grasp key concepts let alone can he manage a basic budget.

Killer Instincts, Or The Other

2012-11-18T20:11:00.000-07:00

Dear my most beloved friend,

It is a strange thing, isn't it? The animals we keep as pets. We think of dogs as furry children forgetting, or perhaps unaware, of their carnivorous nature. Yes, they obey our commands if well trained and do afford us many cuddles, but have you ever watched a pack of wolves hunt? It makes you think twice. Or, how about cats? Usually perceived as having a, "I'm better than you," attitude, we blissfully set aside the fact that a house cat is really a tiny murderous ninja.

What about ourselves? Have you ever witnessed a sleeping infant? So harmless, so precious... Yes, it is hard to imagine that this heart melting little being could very well grow up to be the most deadly creature to walk the earth. Indeed, looks can be deceiving. Please, do not fret at what I have said. Do you deny your own self? Have you so easily forgotten the horrors done by your own hand and the words uttered by your very lips?

We mean well of course in most of what we do. Is it not true, however, that some of the very worse things in all of human history have been done with the best intentions? One need only look to our wars and rumours of wars. What great carnage has been perpetuated in the name of peace! Some blame religion, others blame greed. At some point, however, each war fought and won or lost has been proclaimed in the name of peace.

Century after century, decade after decade there is always some war for the betterment of the people. "We shall colonise these lands and make civilised people of these savages." "These people don't know any better, and if we could give them real democracy - free them of their regimes - then they would live better lives like us." Has violence, suffering and death and death by human hands ever made anyone see the light?

Do you know how ideas die, if only for a time? I'll give you a hint, it isn't by censorship or the exterminating of all those who cling to such ideals. Ideas fade simply with time and love. With these people shed their false ideologies and embrace Truth.

Our Lord said, "Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world." (Matthew 28:19-20) He did not say to do these things and if the people resist you, invade their lands and make the peoples your slaves until they see things your way. Nor did he say that to achieve such things one ought to take over the governments of the world and make laws concerning what Jesus has said. In fact, that was what Jesus Christ delivered us from in His coming. We ought to put our faith in Jesus Christ, not our politicians and not the area in which we reside.

You see unlike our cats and dogs who will always be in the state of death, the child -regardless of age- is free to choose to remain in this very same state, or to give ourselves over to our greater nature given to us when we are made anew. It's this greater nature that God has intended for us all - even you.

Imagine, my dearly beloved, a world where the Gospel has been preached and believed.

Peace be with you.

P.S.

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, do I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid." (John 14:27)

What Do You See?

2012-11-17T22:49:00.001-07:00

I don't know what you see in me;

Kindness, goodness, charity.

You say I'm smart, even brilliant,

What does it all matter in the end?

What do you see?

Tell me what do you see?

I see an empty soul, so alone

Please save me!

You see me as calm, cool, and collected.

Bringing water to you lips in desert straights

But I'm drowning inside,

This is more than I can take!

What do you see?

Tell me what do you see?

I see an empty so, so alone

Please save me!

You tell me I'm beautiful,

When I'm just ordinary.

I make you laugh,

But I'm not trying to be funny.

What do you see?

Tell me what do you see?

I see an empty soul, so alone

Please save me!

What does it all matter in the end you repeat.

Tell me could I love you that first chance we meet?

You don't see it now, that's why I'm here.

You are my inspiration, each breath I hold dear!

What do you see?

Tell me what do you see?

I see an empty soul, so alone

Please save me!

What do you see?

Tell me what do you see?

I thought I was lost,

But you found me and saved me.

Complete State by State US Presidential Election Results 2012

2012-11-07T03:57:00.002-07:00

The following are the state by state results of the US Presidential poll results in which great care was taken to include third party results. These amounts are not final and will likely be updated accordingly.

Alabama
No Data Available

Alaska
(Source)

Barack Obama: 61 281 or 40.88%
Mitt Romney: 81 878 or 54.62%
Gary Johnson: 3 756 or 2.51%
Jill Stein: 1 484 or 0.99%
Write In: 1 502 or 1.00%

Arizona
No Data Available

Arkansas
No Data Available

California
(Source)

Barack Obama: 3 229 794 or 57.0%
Mitt Romney: 2 306 801 or 40.7%
Gary Johnson: 54 444 or 1.0%
Jill Stein: 33 322 or 0.6%
Roseanne Barr: 21 962 or 0.4%
Thomas Hoefling: 16 394 or 0.3%

Colorado
(Source)

Barack Obama: 994 059 or 50.24%
Mitt Romney: 942 254 or 47.63%
Gary Johnson: 23 944 or 1.21%
Jill Stein: 5 093 or 0.26%
Roseanne Barr: 3 468 or 0.18%
Thomas Hoefling: 471 or 0.02%
Virgil Goode: 4 618 or 0.23%
Rocky Anderson: 910 or 0.05%
Stewart Alexander: 208 or 0.01%
James Harris: 137 or 0.01%
Gloria La Riva: 206 or 0.01%
Merlin Miller: 200 or 0.01%
Jill Reed: 1 965 or 0.10%
Thomas Robert Stevens: 168 or 0.01%
Samm Tittle: 596 or 0.03%
Jerry White: 137 or 0.01%

Connecticut
(Source)

Barack Obama: 128 251
Mitt Romney: 109 078
Gary Johnson: 2 277
Rocky Anderson: 12 590

Delaware
(Source)

Barack Obama: 242 547 or 58.6%
Mitt Romney: 165 476 or 40.0%
Gary Johnson: 3 882 or 0.9%
Jill Stein: 1 939 or 0.5%

Florida
No Data Available

Georgia
(Source)

Barack Obama: 1 745 496 or 45.40%
Mitt Romney: 2 054 059 or 53.43%
Gary Johnson: 44 775 or 1.16%

Hawaii
(Source)

Barack Obama: 194 220 or 71.4%
Mitt Romney: 72 047 or 26.5%
Gary Johnson: 2 226 or 0.8%
Jill Stein: 1 877 or 0.7%

Idaho
No Data Available

Illinois
No Data Available

Indiana
(Source)

Barack Obama: 906 613
Mitt Romney: 1 101 971
Gary Johnson: 38 950
Jill Stein: 137
Thomas Hoefling: 7
Virgil Goode: 69
Stewart Alexander: 5
Jill Reed: 4
Denis Knill: 9
Missionary-Tracey Elaine Blair: 21
Randall Terry: 5

Iowa
(Source)

Barack Obama: 810 391 or 51.86%
Mitt Romney: 724 109 or 46.34%
Gary Johnson: 12 774 or 0.82%
Jill Stein: 3 723 or 0.24%
Virgil Goode: 2 991 or 0.19%
Gloria La Riva: 362 or 0.02%
James Harris: 440 or 0.03%
Jerry Litzel: 1 001 or 0.06%
Write In: 6 851 or 0.44%

Kansas
(Source)

Barack Obama: 425 037 or 38%
Mitt Romney: 670 033 or 60%
Gary Johnson: 19 672 or 2%
Chuck Baldwin: 4 663 or 0%

Kentucky
No Data Available

Louisiana
(Source)

Barack Obama: 781 733 or 40%
Mitt Romney: 1 149 054 or 59%
Gary Johnson: 17 975 or 1%
Jill Stein: 6 873 or 0%
Virgil Goode: 2 461 or 0%
Rocky Anderson: 1 319 or 0%
James Harris: 384 or 0%
Jerry White: 352 or 0%
Samm Tittle: 1 748 or 0%
Jack Fellure: 503 or 0%
Peta Lindsay: 583 or 0%

Maine
No Data Available

Maryland
(Source)

Barack Obama: 1 523 788 or 61.4%
Mitt Romney: 904 488 or 36.5%
Gary Johnson: 27 714 or 1.1%
Jill Stein: 15 547 or 0.6%
Write In: 9 465 or 0.4%

Massachusetts
No Data Available

Michigan
(Source)

Barack Obama: 800 788
Mitt Romney: 840 766
Jill Stein: 7 856
Virgil Goode: 5 776
Rocky Anderson: 1 762

Minnesota
No Data Available

Mississippi
No Data Available

Missouri
(Source)

Barack Obama: 1 215 031 or 44.3%
Mitt Romney: 1 478 961 or 53.9%
Gary Johnson: 43 029 or 1.6%
Virgil Goode: 7 914 or 0.3%

Montana
No Data Available

Nebraska
(Source)

Barack Obama: 290 257 or 37.82%
Mitt Romney: 464 232 or 60.49%
Gary Johnson: 10 627 or 1.38%
Randall Terry: 2 343 0.31%

Nevada
(Source)

Barack Obama: 529 005 or 52.30%
Mitt Romney: 462 607 or 45.73%
Gary Johnson: 10 908 or 1.08%
Virgil Goode: 3 234 or 0.32%

New Hampshire
No Data Available

New Jersey
No Data Available

New Mexico
No Data Available

New York
No Data Available

North Carolina
No Data Available

North Dakota
(Source)

Barack Obama: 124 490 or 38.70%
Mitt Romney: 187 586 or 58.32%
Gary Johnson: 5 213 or 1.62%
Jill Stein: 1 357 or 0.42%
Virgil Goode: 1 179 or 0.37%
Write In: 1 850 or 0.58%

Ohio
No Data Available

Oklahoma
No Data Available

Oregon
No Data Available

Pennsylvania
No Data Available

Rhode Island
(Source)

Barack Obama: 262 444 or 62.9%
Mitt Romney: 146 295 or 35.1%
Gary Johnson: 4 162 or 1.0%
Jill Stein: 2 261 or 0.5%
Virgil Goode: 408 or 0.1%
Rocky Anderson: 379 or 0.1%
Peta Lindsay: 121 or 0.0%
Write In: 1 325 or 0.3%

South Carolina
(Source)

Barack Obama: 804 147 or 43.85%
Mitt Romney: 1 004 773 or 54.79%
Gary Johnson: 15 452 or 0.84%
Jill Stein: 5 122 or 0.28%
Virgil Goode: 4 531 or 0.25%

South Dakota
(Source)

Barack Obama: 144 980 or 39.86%
Mitt Romney: 210 536 or 57.89%
Gary Johnson:5 795 or 1.59%
Virgil Goode: 2 371 or 0.65%

Tennessee
(Source)

Barack Obama: 957 408 or 39.07%
Mitt Romney: 1 457 441 or 59.48%
Gary Johnson: 18 538 or 0.76%
Jill Stein: 6 491 or 0.26%
Virgil Goode: 5 987 or 0.24%
Rocky Anderson: 2 624 or 0.11%
Merlin Miller: 1 732 or 0.07%

Texas
(Source)

Barack Obama: 3 282 658 or 41.53%
Mitt Romney: 4 540 275 or 57.19%
Gary Johnson: 87 801 or 1.10%
Jill Stein: 24 378 or 0.30%
Thomas Hoefling: 167 or 0%
Virgil Goode: 776 or 0%
Rocky Anderson: 230 or 0%
Stewart Alexander: 80 or 0%
Avery Ayers: 1 141 or 0%
Thaddaus Hill: 56 or 0%
Andre Barnett: 41 or 0%

Utah
(Source)

Barack Obama: 227 736 or 24.91%
Mitt Romney: 664 416 or 72.69%
Gary Johnson: 10 984 or 1.2%
Jill Stein: 3 348 or 0.37%
Virgil Goode: 2 551 or 0.28%
Rocky Anderson: 4 696 or 0.51%
Gloria La Riva 342 or 0.04%

Vermont
No Data Available

Virginia
(Source)

Barack Obama: 1 868 191 or 50.57%
Mitt Romney: 1 767 692 or 47.85%
Gary Johnson: 30 307 or 0.82%
Jill Stein: 8 444 or 0.23%
Virgil Goode: 13 623 or 0.37%
Write In: 6 084 or 0.16%

Washington
(Source)

Barack Obama: 1 062 561 or 55.22%
Mitt Romney: 822 611 or 42.75%
Gary Johnson: 20 117 or 1.05%
Jill Stein: 10 442 or 0.54%
Virgil Goode: 4 592 or 0.24%
Rocky Anderson: 2 415 or 0.13%
Peta Lindsay: 667 or 0.03%
James Harris: 695 or 0.04%

West Virginia
(Source)

Barack Obama: 161 113 or 35.31%
Mitt Romney: 285 238 or 62.52%
Gary Johnson: 4 323 or 0.95%
Jill Stein: 2 990 or 0.66%
Randall Terry: 2 576 or 0.56%

Wisconsin
No Data Available

Wyoming
No Data Available

I Thought I Was In Love Once

2012-11-06T02:17:00.000-07:00

This thing has been both a blessing and a curse to me. A blessing because of the invaluable things I learned that I probably would not have learned otherwise. A curse only in the perceived rejection and humiliation that I shall surely receive when people discover how truly pathetic I am. People seem to always think highly of me, or at least they seem to. I certainly have done nothing worthy of such generous consideration. Maybe it's because I'm still a bit hung up on the past what with being bullied and all. Certainly I trust people, but I'm still a bit weary of it. I'm also shy so that probably doesn't help much.

At the time I was very much young in the Faith. I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I was still stumbling around in the darkness. Then a hand reached out and steadied me. Neither of us remembered exchanging details, but one day towards the end of February of 2007 he messaged me on MSN wondering who I was. We talked for a bit and agreed we probably crossed paths on Habbo as that seemed to be the only logical explanation. Towards the middle of March that same year he contacted me again and we talked some more. Then he would regularly message me and I would regularly message him. We would talk for hours and never run out of things to say. In either May or June he when he (living in British Columbia) flew to Ontario to be his e-girlfriend's real life prom date I was totally rooting for him. That he would go to such great lengths totally illustrates his character. In our talking we bonded over similar histories - both bullied, both outcasts at school, etc. Despite this he was that guy that gave everyone a fighting chance and helped whomever he could.

You've got to understand that no one had ever showed such tender loving care towards me before. I'd had a few friends along the way, but for the most part they were all surface friendships. No one ever really asked me how I was doing and was serious about listening to my answer. So here comes this knight in shining armour and I was like this abandoned puppy and it was all I could do to not fall hard on my face for him. I was so very glad he had an e-girlfriend and put my energies into supporting them instead of focusing on me. You can imagine how stunned I was when a few weeks after he came back from the cross-county prom date they broke up. Things were going so perfectly! Now here I was split between cheering and consoling him. I tried my best to do the right thing, but he was not fooled. Turns out Cody can read minds. It certainly seemed like he did because our only contact was text via MSN and so without body language or facial expressions he always knew when I was hiding something from him. From him I learned that the way we type alters by what we're doing or feeling. I will usually type complete sentences and so I've had a few friends freak out at me when I type in lower case since then. It's typically an indicator that I need sleep. Anyway our friendship continued to deepen until the lines began to blur and a sort of pseudo friends with benefits relationship formed. When I went back to school come fall I rejoiced because I didn't have to worry about crushing on any classmates. Someone finally wanted me. However, for him it was just that, but for me it developed further. In being perceptive as he always was Cody did try to dissuade my intentions, but to no avail. I wasn't going to come so close and just be content. Naturally as a result I saw what I wanted to see - that we both loved each other.

Before we began talking that very first time I was a master builder. I had designed and built this great and beautiful wall around myself so as to be sufficiently shielded from any rejection or humiliation. Then here comes Cody waltzing along and with one touch my brilliant wall came falling down; he scattered my defences all around. He always knew exactly what to say to get me to open up to him or having me feeling this or that. Always so gentle and disarming. I confessed many fears and anxieties to him and in turn he helped me to confront a lot of it. Before him I trusted no one and was convinced that no one wanted me. Thanks to him I now do trust people, but I'm still a bit weary about it all - like I said.

I truly do believe that the Lord used Cody to teach me what love really was (1 Corinthians 13:4-8; John 15:13) but I wouldn't understand this until later when the fog had cleared away. I learned a lot about listening and communication from him, and especially his particular counselling style was invaluable. He softened my hardened exterior and got me to deal with negative emotions in a healthy manner instead of burying them down deep inside me as I had become accustomed only to eventually break down and cry myself to sleep every couple of months or so. He would also teach me harder lessons as well.

However, as with all good things it often seems, this very good thing indeed became corrupted. Towards the end of things he confided in me that in the beginning he had actively tried to flirt me which means he was essentially cheating while I was mostly unaware and just thought he was being friendly. I say mostly because in truth towards the end of their relationship I began to return his advances. Sure I wasn't the instigator, but I know I'm just as guilty - even though he begged me not to blame myself for the fall of his relationship which is something I agree with him on. I learned from this how weak, stupid, and immoral I could really be. Evil even I would say. What I would proudly say I'd never do or even think, I now saw that I was capable of so much more than what I actually did. It was very sobering. Sadly, it doesn't end there.

We would talk for literally hours. Sometimes from the moment I came home until when I went to bed, and sometimes even during class if I had access to a computer. Over one of my breaks from school we made an unbreakable record by talking for about eight hours straight -and this was of serious discussions about life and whatnot too. You see we were both deep thinking paragraph type people. He understood me and I understood him. Sometimes we'd finish each others thoughts. We never fought of course, until the bitter end. You can't argue with someone when you're always on the same page with them. It was boring though. I know a lot of women say they want a man who understands their every whim, but it's gets boring. There's no reason to discover the other person. Now the sad part is that we sexted. I know and understand stating this fact and more drastically changes how I'm going to be thought of for now on. I don't care though because I know I deserve whatever judgement I receive. And plus, if I ever get into politics this is already out there and by my own hand, so I don't have to worry about any political leverage against me. In any case the sexting was great, it really was. When I spoke to a few friends who sexted their fellas this confirmed that I was getting it from a master. The longest session we had was about three hours. Like I said, we are both paragraph people. The dose of endorphins sustained over a long period of time really did me in though. This ultimately convinced me that we loved each other. When we began sexting our conversations essentially came to a stop. From my studies in sexuality and morality later on I learned that my experience was not unlike those of teens which actually participated in physical sexual relations. Mine was merely the intellectual equivalent of such things.

In April of 2008 is when it all finally derailed. We were barely talking with each other, and when we did it had mostly bitter tones to it. Two weeks later with no word from him, and it was over. I was devastated and angry though mostly because he'd had the nerve not to say goodbye, but he knew that would have just destroyed me. It was better in my case to wonder then to know for certain why. He came back a year or so later, just before Canada hosted the Winter Olympics in fact, and I was able to forgive him for his abandonment and made proper goodbyes. And when he was finally gone for good I breathed a sigh of relief and was happy. I was finally at peace. This time around I had put my trust in the Lord and kept my eyes on him just as I should have done all those times before. This is probably the most vital lessen the Lord taught me through Cody. By the way, I haven't sexted in years and years for the Lord has delivered me from this body of sin. The second most important thing I learned -and Cody made me promise I'd never forget this and spent the most time proving it to me- is that I am beautiful and should see that indeed I am.

The Story of Creation

2012-11-04T22:35:00.000-07:00

"And there was a great battle in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels: And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. And that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, who seduceth the whole world; and he was cast unto the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying: Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: because the accuser of our brethren is cast forth, who accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of the testimony, and they loved not their lives unto death." (Revelation 12:7-11)

"In the beginning God created heaven, and earth. And the earth was void and empty, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God moved over the waters. And God said: Be light made. And light was made. And God saw the light that it was good; and he divided the light from the darkness. And he called the light Day, and the darkness Night; and there was evening and morning one day.

"And God said: Let there be a firmament made amidst the waters: and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made a firmament, and divided the waters that were under the firmament, from those that were above the firmament, and it was so. And God called the firmament, Heaven; and the evening and morning were the second day.

"God also said: Let the waters that are under the heaven, be gathered together into one place: and let the dry land appear. And it was so done. And God called the dry land, Earth; and the gathering together of the waters, he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. And he said: Let the earth bring forth the green herb, and such as may seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after its kind, which may have seed in itself upon the earth. And it was so done. And the earth brought forth the green herb, and such as yieldeth seed according to its kind, and the tree that beareth fruit having seed each one according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day.
"And God said: Let there be lights made in the firmament of heaven, to divide the day and the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years: To shine in the firmament of heaven, and to give light upon the earth. And it was so done. And God made two great lights: a greater light to rule the day; and a lesser light to rule the night: and the stars. And he set them in the firmament of heaven to shine upon the earth. And to rule the day and the night, and to divide the light and the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And the evening and morning were the fourth day.

"God also said: Let the waters bring forth the creeping creature having life, and the fowl that may fly over the earth under the firmament of heaven. And God created the great whales, and every living and moving creature, which the waters brought forth, according to their kinds, and every winged fowl according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And he blessed them, saying: Increase and multiply, and fill the waters of the sea: and let the birds be multiplied upon the earth. And the evening and morning were the fifth day.

"And God said: Let the earth bring forth the living creature in its kind, cattle and creeping things, and beasts of the earth, according to their kinds. And it was so done. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds, and cattle, and every thing that creepeth on the earth after its kind. And God saw that it was good. And he said: Let us make man to our image and likeness: and let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and the beasts, and the whole earth, and every creeping creature that moveth upon the earth. And God created man to his own image: to the image of God he created him: male and female he created them. And God blessed them, saying: Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and all living creatures that move upon the earth. And God said: Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed upon the earth, and all trees that have in themselves seed of their own kind, to be your meat: And to all the beasts of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to all that move upon the earth, and wherein there is life, that they may have to feed upon. And it was so done. And God saw all the things that he had made, and they were very good. And the evening and morning were the sixth day." (Genesis 1)

"Now the serpent was more subtle than any of the beasts of the earth which the Lord God made. And he said to the woman: Why hath God commanded you, that you should not eat of every tree of paradise? And the woman answered him, saying: Of the fruit of the trees that are in paradise we do eat: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of paradise, God hath commanded us that we should not eat; and that we should not touch it, lest perhaps we die. And the serpent said to the woman: No, you shall not die the death. For God doth know that in what day soever you shall eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened: and you shall be as Gods, knowing good and evil. And the woman saw that the tree was good to eat, and fair to the eyes, and delightful to behold: and she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave to her husband who did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened: and when they perceived themselves to be naked, they sewed together fig leaves, and made themselves aprons.

"And when they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in paradise at the afternoon air, Adam and his wife hid themselves from the face of the Lord God, amidst the trees of paradise. And the Lord God called Adam, and said to him: Where art thou? And he said: I heard thy voice in paradise; and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself. And he said to him: And who hath told thee that thou wast naked, but that thou hast eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat? And Adam said: The woman, whom thou gavest me to be my companion, gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the Lord God said to the woman: Why hast thou done this? And she answered: The serpent deceived me, and I did eat.

"And the Lord God said to the serpent: Because thou hast done this thing, thou art cursed among all cattle, and the beasts of the earth: upon thy breast shalt thou go, and earth shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel. To the woman also he said: I will multiply thy sorrows, and thy conceptions: in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children, and thou shalt be under thy husband's power, and he shall have dominion over thee. And to Adam he said: Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat, cursed is the earth in thy work; with labour and toil shalt thou eat thereof all the days of thy life. Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou eat the herbs of the earth. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return to the earth, out of which thou wast taken: for dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return. And Adam called the name of his wife Eve: because she was the mother of all the living. And the Lord God made for Adam and his wife, garments of skins, and clothed them.

"And he said: Behold Adam is become as one of us, knowing good and evil: now, therefore, lest perhaps he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever. And the Lord God sent him out of the paradise of pleasure, to till the earth from which he was taken. And he cast out Adam; and placed before the paradise of pleasure Cherubims, and a flaming sword, turning every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." (Genesis 3)

Behold, the creation account in Revelation indeed is very true, as it is in Genesis. However, the creation account in Genesis is not to be taken literally. For example, did you know that in the account there actually is no literal snake, let alone a talking one? If one were to consider the ancient Hebrew - of which there are four different Hebrew versions of the creation account in Genesis- the word typically translated as serpent is in Hebrew "הֵילֵל" (hay-lale') which means "shining one." This fits the context of the creation account in Revelation as well as what Isaias prophesied in Isaiah 14:9-24. What then are we to make of the creation account in Genesis? Well, the following is my humble take on it.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. No one knows exactly how He did this and perhaps we shall never know. What we do know is that first there was nothing (except God) and then there was something. This transition of sorts is what could be called abiogenesis, or as it is more commonly referred to, "The Big Bang Theory." After this initial creation we see in Genesis a progression as God begins with the lower and simpler creatures to more advanced creatures, and finally to humans. If that sounds familiar to you it's probably because I just gave you a very basic description of evolution. You may be wondering that if indeed God used evolution, would He had not said as much? Thus you may think that the two are not compatible, eh?

First of all, the details of how we are created are not important in terms of salvation history. The main point we are to take away from the creation account in Genesis is not how God created us, but simply that God did create us. In the end how He made us isn't important; what is important is that He made us. If we look to the account in John 2:1-12 of the Wedding in Cana we see that Jesus Christ turned water into wine. The point is not how He did it insofar as the molecular conversions (and so we are not told such things), but rather we are to know simply that He did it and why - because He is God incarnate.

Secondly, we must understand what science is. Science comes from the Latin "scientia" which means to know, knowledge. What is the knowledge? Science is our collective knowledge of what we perceive of the Wisdom of God which binds the universe and all that is in it. Indeed, the various laws of physics, chemistry, biology and so forth are essentially what we perceive of the Wisdom of God thus far. How then ought we understand evolution in this sense? Evolution is simply a specific body of knowledge which we have perceived of the Wisdom of God as it pertains to how the creation got from its initial creation to where it is now. Consider the following:

"The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, hath established the heavens by prudence. By his wisdom the depths have broken out, and the clouds grow thick with dew. My son, let not these things depart from thy eyes: keep the law and counsel: And there shall be life to thy soul, and grace to thy mouth." (Proverbs 3:19-22)

However, many creationists will not argue with me on these points. Instead they tend to focus on the idea that according to evolution man evolved from apes which seems offensive to them for some reason. It isn't very logical to get upset over this and I believe it has more to do with pride than anything. First of all, the Bible does not say that mankind just popped into existence. What it does say is that woman came from man (Genesis 2:21-25) and that man himself came from slime (Genesis 2:7). So you did not come directly from God, but from what God had already created. So then why take issue with the idea that man comes from apes? Did not God declare all the creation preceding man is good? It's actually quite funny to me because a common thing I'll hear from creationists like Ken Ham is that they'll exclaim that evolutionists say we come from a primordial soup (which is true) and with such disdain as if this is so horrible. Well, as I just pointed out it actually is in Scripture! I'm aware of course that some texts say that man was created from dust and there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, if you go back to the beginning just after abiogenesis and where the earth is formed, you'll find that evolution teaches that we ultimately come from dust. So it works both ways and there is no contradiction with Scripture and the theory of evolution. God is the author, evolution is the means.

As we go on with our study of creation we find that some how from two people there are suddenly entire nations. Once again, we are not told the precise process by which this occurred so we can safely assume that this information isn't important in salvation history. What we do know is that despite man's now fallen nature the Word of God is fulfilled and all of life -man included- went forth and did multiply. Evolution of course offers a very tedious explanation of how two humans could possibly become many. We know that the many were very sinful so much so, we are told that God sent rains and flooded the world saving, but a few. The Catholic Church teaches that we do not actually have to believe that a flood literally happened, and biblical scholars consider that this event is prehistory (real history begins with Abraham see Matthew 1:1-16).

However, I am comfortable with the idea that perhaps God really did flood the earth saving but a few. The wasn't one single global flood of course, as there isn't really any geological evidence to suggest that. There is though geological evidence to support the idea that there were several localised yet massive floods not all at the same time, but close enough. And lo, there is simply too much anecdotal evidence from hundreds of cultures all over the world which contain similar details to the account of Noah and the flood to deny the possibility.

"The heavens shew forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of his hands. Day to day uttereth speech, and night to night sheweth knowledge. There are no speeches nor languages, where their voices are not heard." (Psalm 19:2-4)

In the beginning God created man. Man was tempted to believe that he could exist apart from God - even that he could be god himself. God in a sense gave man what he wanted and sent him out from God's presence. Man now apart from God was naked and blind and yet in his longing for God he created his own gods which became idols to him. At first, man saw the touch of God on nature and man in seeking after God sought to deify nature. This today is what we call the primitive and animistic religions - some of which still exist today.

As mankind multiplied and subdued the earth his perception of God changed also. As man advanced he began to focus on the image and likeness of God by the deification of man himself. Deified humans were often those that were considered above the average man. I hypothesise for example, that the ancient Egyptian god Osiris was a man who not only created the ancient Egyptian script, but also disseminated it to the public. In fact, it would not surprise me if many of the ancient Egyptian gods were people of the highest class in their society.

Overtime demons were also deified along with man (just as Lucifer and Eve together corrupted Adam) which gave rise to religions such as Hinduism. By now everything and everyone - for man was aware of the touch of God on all of creation - was deified and so pantheistic religious - that is, everything and everyone is of God and therefore is god - also came on the scene.

In the meantime, man had matured in his starvation and longing for God so much that God once again personally reached out to man which is what he did with Abraham (Genesis 12). For a time man was permitted to grow comfortable with the fact that all of his longing was not in vain and that indeed God is. When man was sufficiently filled with faith God reached out to Moses and gave him the Law (Exodus 20) which allowed the people to understand and come to know God more intimately. It was by the Law and the prophets that man first came to know Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him. He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light. That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name. Who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. ... And of his fulness we all have received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1:1-14,16-17)

"For let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man. He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross. For which cause God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above all names: That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth: And that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11)

"God, who, at sundry times and in divers manners, spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, last of all, In these days hath spoken to us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the figure of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, making purgation of sins, sitteth on the right hand of the majesty on high. Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they." (Hebrews 1:1-4)

What about the religions that came after Christ? Remember, man is still fallen although we in Christ, are confident, and have a good will to be absent rather from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8) For the expectation of the creature waiteth for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him that made it subject, in hope: Because the creature also itself shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption, into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that every creature groaneth and travaileth in pain, even till now. And not only it, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption of the sons of God, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen, is not hope. For what a man seeth, why doth he hope for? But if we hope for that which we see not, we wait for it with patience. (Romans 8:19-25) And he that sat on the throne, said: Behold, I make all things new. And he said to me: Write, for these words are most faithful and true. (Revelation 21:5)

So it is that many of the old religions still remain until that final day, and many new ones are sure to come to be though under the same lie that first deceived Eve. Many of them such as Islam and Protestantism seek to put man under the old law in which he must try to save himself. Others such as with the New Age, Scientology, Mormonism, and the "spiritual, but not religious" crowd to some degree all think either are or will become gods.

I'm almost completely convinced there are no real genuine atheists out there. Everyone who is not right with God naturally deifies something be it themselves, knowledge, money, or some other aspect. Most who would call themselves an atheist are really only agnostic or deist. Therefore in light of all of this presented to you today, if indeed a genuine atheist exists then they are a fool (Psalm 14:1).

Some of you may wonder though, having likely seen Zeitgeist, what to make of various figures in different religions seeming to have similar details to the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. I would say you ought to expect it and I've already told you why.

"The heavens shew forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of his hands. Day to day uttereth speech, and night to night sheweth knowledge. There are no speeches nor languages, where their voices are not heard." (Psalm 19:2-4)

Using Secular Media As A Devotional

2012-11-03T23:19:00.001-06:00

It is a common practice among Christians to keep a devotional of some sort. I'm not talking about having a devotion to the Sacred Heart or to our Lady, of course. Rather a devotional is usually a themed one year bible, or a study of the sayings of some teacher such as, "My Utmost For His Highest," by Oswald Chambers or, "Divine Intimacy," as composed by Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalene. Some people like to use sections of Scripture, or a chapter a day or so from the various writings of the Saints. The purpose of course is to draw closer to the Lord - closer to perfection. Others may enjoy using music or poetry for their devotions. As you may of noticed religious materials are typically used for these purposes and with good reason.

The young in the Faith - regardless of age or how long one has been called a Christian - in their state require milk and cannot live on solid food, as St. Paul would put it. They are often quite infantile and easily scandalised. Some of the very young will even go so far as to proclaim that the observance of Christmas and Easter are essentially pagan. These first of all do not understand what a pagan even is, let alone do they understand the will of God and freedom found in Christ Jesus. The young can often get carried away by smooth teachings and for example, may believe that the church services are purely about them and what they get out of it. As such, they will look for positive preaching, decent music, and perhaps even cup holders for their lattes. Never would it occur to them that all of these are vanity. One could probably say with confidence that such people have likely never read Ecclesiastes, let alone heard of it.

In contrast, those who are strong in the Faith are more likely when considering media to approach it first with prayer, adequate study, and perhaps even seeking wise counsel from others who are likewise strong in the Faith. In this way, they are able to see clearly the ways and beauty of the Lord in secular materials. The young being yet carnal themselves are apt to attribute powers and animate qualities to these materials erroneously thinking that these have some sort of power in and of themselves. For example, they would be scandalised by food given to idols believing that the idols have real power and that the food is now changed. A modern response by the young is that they will cut themselves off entirely from secular media and restrict themselves purely to religious materials. There is nothing wrong with religious materials and truly for the Christian they ought to take precedence even, but not to deal with the secular will more likely cause many to fall away from the Faith rather then exposure to say, evolution, as many of the young have become convinced. Not that evolution is necessarily incorrect, of course. Rather when children in young Christian homes go off into the world they lose their faith precisely because they were kept in the state of their parents. Never given the opportunity to confront the secular media in the home they simply do not know what to do when they are thrust into the world. Faith so easily lost is not Faith at all.

How can one convert the world if one does not first learn the language that the world speaks? Knowing ones own Faith of course takes precedence, but one should study other religious as well. One should learn the secular tongue - how to speak the Faith without actually speaking the Faith. St. Francis of Assisi knew this well by only using words to communicate the Faith when absolutely necessary. St. Paul on the other hand actually used words, but for example when he first confronted the Corinthians he did not condemn them for being pagans - as those young in the Faith such as Way of the Master ministries have a tendency to do -rather through the beliefs of the Corinthians was the Gospel preached. St. Patrick would later do the same as St. Paul by using the three leafed clover - considered sacred to the Celts - to explain the Trinity.

Now I'm not writing this to give a sort of license to consume whatever secular media one pleases. After all those in the Faith, young or strong, are called only to be in the world and not of the world. One must always discern what they will expose themselves to. We must guard our eyes and ears and in so doing guard our souls. Our Lord solemnly warned us that even some of the elect, were it possible, will fall away from the Faith.

What is suitable? I have meditated on, "Beside You," by Marianas Trench for example. I've also found that almost every song performed by Westlife will more than suffice. One of my favourite covers by them is Bette Midler's "The Rose," which so beautifully echoes the writings of the New Testament. I can also recall watching films like "2012" or "Avatar" and having moments here in the when I'd see or hear something and it would lead me to meditate on the Scripture is brought to mind. Titanic is an excellent film for this purpose. Television shows, sports games, awards shows, and the news can all serve this purpose as well. However, we must be cautious. I for example do not watch "Grey's Anatomy" or "Glee" because both are essentially about glorifying sin and not restraining the desires of the flesh. I will not watch films whose essential purpose is to torture people in new ways. There are more balanced sources with which to meditate on evil and suffering. I've yet to find music that doesn't offer some aspect with which to ponder on. Instead, I tend to reject music more because of it's appalling quality such as like what Nicki Minaj performs.

Basically, one does not require explicitly religious materials with which to use as a devotional. If you're going to consume secular media you may as well make it worth your while. The goal should always be to love the Lord with all your soul, all your strength, and all your might. Then afterwards you will be able to love your neighbour as yourself. In all of what we say and do, we ought to do so accordingly.

Life Skills According To The Sims

2012-11-02T18:44:00.001-06:00

The Sims games have always fascinated me for many reasons. Who would have thought a game about everyday mundane tasks could be so alluring? Any one who is familiar with the games knows that there are about seven basic skill sets. I propose that we should work these into our daily lives.

Cooking:

I think it is pretty much common sense that everyone should have the ability to sustain themselves. However, I do not think the object should be to just provide ourselves basic sustenance. As you may have noticed if you've played the game, the more proficient your Sim became at cooking in turn the more nutritious the food in question was, and the Sim stayed fuller longer as well. Thus we ought to shun potato chips and microwave meals in favour of applying ourselves to cooking with real ingredients. Our aim should thus be to cook the most nutritious meals possible. Of course, this requires study, but if a Sim can pick up a book and learn then so can you!

Mechanical:

Certainly, I do not advocate going after a broken t.v. set armed with a screwdriver, but there is a lot we can do. We should be proficient with our computers and other electronic gadgets. One should understand how these things work as well as have knowledge of solutions to common problems. In our homes, we should be able to change the light bulbs and do basic upkeep. Those of us who own vehicles should be able to change the oil and know how to change a flat tire. There are a variety of "Do-It-Yourself" books out there and you can always use Google and YouTube. You should have these skills now, not when something actually breaks down.

Body:

This is a very tedious aspect both in the game and in real life. Exercise is a very good thing for us. Just as applying the Sim often to such activities overtime made them stronger and have more stamina, the same is certainly true of us. One should not just focus on a single aspect; for example focusing on getting a six pack. Instead we should be capable in all aspects - in cardio, strength, flexibility, and so on because we do not know what we might face. The acquisition of self-defence skills is something I recommend in addition to these things.

Logic:

Common sense will not make a come back all on its own, but rather is something to be acquired. The chief way to learn logic in the game is by playing chess. I too recommend this in addition to other classic games like backgammon and poker. You could also read any number of books such as Sun Tzu's, "The Art of War," as well as other more biblical sources like Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Sirach which are all found in the Holy Bible.

Creativity:

Yes, this is something we all need to cultivate in our lives and fortunately there many avenues in which to do so. They include, but are not limited to: leaning an instrument, writing stories or poetry, paint or draw, or even photography. It doesn't matter which you choose to pursue, so long as you apply yourself daily to cultivating your creativity.

Charisma:

It may surprise you to know that this isn't something one is just born with. You will find with those that already possess it that they happen to be great observers and many may have even applied themselves to the learning of communication. Even if one already possesses charisma, I believe it is something to be continuously polished. With it, it is vital to understand good communication of which there are many good books available. In the game talking to a mirror is what increases charisma, and this is something that I recommend you do as well. In addition to giving you a captive audience, mirrors also allow you to observe your own body language and facial expressions. While awkward at first, you will eventually become comfortable with you and with that your charisma will sore.

Of course, the whole point of these things is in the game was to provide an objective to achieve job promotion. I therefore invite you to think of your job in terms of these skill sets and likewise to perfect those which are necessary to succeed. Who knows - if you maintain a good mood in addition to applying yourself you might just get a promotion!

The Ideal Man

2012-11-01T20:32:00.000-06:00

"And he said: Let us make man to our image and likeness: and let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and the beasts, and the whole earth, and every creeping creature that moveth upon the earth. And God created man to his own image: to the image of God he created him: male and female he created them. ... And Adam said: This now is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man. Wherefore a man shall leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they shall be two in one flesh. And they were both naked: to wit, Adam and his wife: and were not ashamed." (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:23-25)

Being a woman I take great care to understand my place and who God has made me to be. Those of you who would like to know more about what makes the ideal woman are invited to study Proverbs 31:10-31. Of course, this is all more or less my opinion and should not be taken as an authoritative study of Scripture. We'll be looking at what makes the ideal man set with a backdrop of looking for a spouse.

Effectively, man has been made in the image and likeness of God. Woman has also been made in the image and likeness of God, but she inherits this through man. Just as we have all been created to have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, so also are we created to have relationships with each other and in particular, man with woman. In fact, just as God is three persons -Father, Son, and Holy Spirit- and yet one God, so to is it that man and woman while yet two, become one flesh.

"Let women be subject to their husbands, as to the Lord: Because the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church. He is the saviour of his body. Therefore as the church is subject to Christ, so also let the wives be to their husbands in all things. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the church, and delivered himself up for it:That he might sanctify it, cleansing it by the laver of water in the word of life: That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any; such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish. So also ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife, loveth himself. For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, as also Christ doth the church: ... This is a great sacrament; but I speak in Christ and in the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular love his wife as himself: and let the wife fear her husband." (Ephesians 5:22-29, 32-33)

What attracts men to women and vice verse? Hormones? Yes, hormones. However, there is something far more beautiful than that amiss. When a woman seeks out a man, even a particular man, she really seeks the Christ that is in him. Likewise, when seek after women what the really seek is the reflection of the Church that is in her. For truly man is the image and likeness of the Christ, and woman of the Church. Why do men so easily fall for whores? The Church is a whore whom Christ seeks to purify. Why then do women seek after the lowliest of men? Verily I say unto you, they do just as the Church when she seeks after false christs. However, just as there is Jesus Christ so too are the men called above themselves. Also just as we see the Bride of Christ in glory (Revelation 21), so too are women called far above their own selves as well. In this way one cannot justify and permit the seeking after or being of men and women in a sinful state.

What then is the ideal man? In truth the only ideal man that was, is, and ever shall be is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Therefore to understand these characteristics we ought to desire in a man let us not merely look at Hollywood, or fictional stories, or even magazines. Instead, let us look to the Lord.

For starters, Jesus Christ was not sensitive. He was certainly gentle and understanding, but only when it was appropriate (Matthew 19:13-14). To balance these qualities one could look to his throwing out of the money changers (Matthew 21:12-17), or when He declared He had not come to bring peace, but the sword (Luke 12:49-53). There were times when He was quite frank, such as when He called the Pharisees a brood of vipers (Matthew 23:13-39), or in contrast when He would use beautiful and metaphoric language to tell stories such as with the parable of the lost son (Luke 15:11-32). This means of course that a man should be ready and able to talk. It also tells us that men are capable of that creative romantic language which we women love to hear. (I'll let you in on a secret: not only do women love words, we love it when you make an effort at it, even if it's not perfect. In our minds, you making an effort means you mean the words which you say.) We know that Jesus Christ cried (Luke 11:33-36), grieved and was of great stress (Luke 22:42-44). However, these were at very specific times for though our Lord showed emotion and what some would term "weakness" He did not do such every time something bad happened. Thus men should be able to appropriately express such emotions, and should not feel ashamed or less of a man by shedding tears or admitting that they are under a lot of stress and need some help. Jesus Christ gave himself to the acquiring of knowledge and wisdom at a young age (Luke 2:39-40, 46-47, 52) and likewise also men even in their youth should seek not after foolishness, but wisdom. Jesus was a hard worker (Mark 6:1-3) and likewise also should men be. He always did the right thing (Matthew 5:17) and was obedient to the will of God, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). This is not an exhaustive list of qualities the ideal man should have by any means. Dedicated study of Scripture will no doubt reveal many more of such qualities.

Here though is something that fascinates me. When I considered those fictional characters that I and female acquaintances felt drawn to, more often it was so that these same characters represented many of the qualities found in Jesus Christ. It may be so that all fictional characters are judged on the basis of that "good" which only God is (Mark 10:18). Why are we possessed, perhaps unaware, to create characters according to this standard? Well, as the psalmist declares, "The heavens shew forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of his hands. Day to day uttereth speech, and night to night sheweth knowledge. There are no speeches nor languages, where their voices are not heard." (Psalm 19:2-4)

Remember, we are all created in the image and likeness of God. All that we say and do -indeed all that we are- is more or less dependent on our adherence to Him. After all, His law is written on our hearts (Romans 2:14-15). This is why for example, an atheist if he were a writer perhaps, try as he might, will inevitably tell of some aspect of the relationship between God and man whether or not he even realises it. Indeed, what a beautiful mystery it is!

Understanding Mary and the Saints

2012-10-22T18:47:00.001-06:00

To understand Mary and the Saints, one need only find a pool of clear, still water. Glance into the water, what do you see? You likely see your own reflection. With Mary and the Saints it works very much the same.

Look once more into the stilled waters and partake of our Mother or perhaps one of the Saints. Do you see the difference? This time when you looked into the waters you saw not that particular person, but rather Christ Jesus our Lord. For you see, just as the waters first reflected our own image, so indeed do the lives of our Blessed Mother and the Saints reflect the person of Jesus Christ.

It is then for this end that we should strive - not for our own glory, but rather the glory of Jesus Christ so that when others look upon us, they see not us, but the Christ. For everyone who gains his life shall lose it, and everyone who loses his life for Christ's sake shall find it. Let us therefore deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him. How can we do these things? My friend, all this time and you did not notice the living waters we reflected therein? Verily, I say unto you the very God who makes pools of water in the wilderness indeed gives you the grace sufficient for thee. Now go forth and do whatever He tells you.

Bitter Snows

2012-10-21T19:28:00.000-06:00

"I'm pregnant and it's a girl."
"Well, what did Joe say?"
"You know Joe - he never wanted a girl. Besides, having another baby right now would mean he would have to give up his golf trips."
"Then it's settled, you'll kill it."
"Yeah..."
"Oh come on, don't be such a downer! Here, let me get you some wine."
"Kathleen, I really shouldn't..."
"You're not keeping it so why let it ruin your fun? Come on, lighten up!"

I watched the glass slip through my fingers and shatter into a million fragments on the orange vinyl flooring. It all seemed so unreal. How could such an exchange happen, and at a baby shower no less? Kathleen and Michelle came out of the darkened hallway just off the kitchen where they were talking and came to see if I was okay.

"Sarah, honey! Are you okay? My you gave me such a fright!"
"Yes, Kathleen, I'm fine."
"Oh good, good! Well, I'm going to go freshen up my drink. Can I get you something?"
"No, thank you."

Michelle returned just then with a broom and a dustpan. She knelt down and began helping me pick up the shards of glass. I looked over at her and was immediately greeted by a worried and questioning expression on her face. I quickly looked away and tried desperately to put everything out of my mind. In any case, it was none of my business. She's family, how could I possibly confront her? I was so frustrated I didn't even notice the gash in my hand from gripping the shards of glass more tightly then I ought to have.

"Here Sarah, hold this rag to it."
"Thanks, Michelle."
"I know that you know it's the right thing to do, even if you don't agree with it right now."
"It's a baby! I remember how you used to be, Michelle. You've always wanted a daughter - a little princess of your own."
"Please, don't make this harder than it already is. I have two boys that mean the world to me! This is the right thing to do."
"You know as well as I do that if she was a baby boy, we'd be planning a baby shower right now instead of talking about ... this."
"Please Sarah, try to understand. It's what everybody else wants. It'll make everybody else happy. Why can't you just be happy too?"
"This is your choice, not anyone else's. It's your choice to make."
"No Sarah, it really isn't my choice to make."

The glass was all cleared up now, and I had bandaged my hand from the first aid kit underneath the sink. The guests began to depart, and Joe arrived shortly thereafter to pick-up Michelle. He quietly told her that he'd made an appointment on her behalf, and that they would swing by Mill Street on the way home to, "take care of business." She was a little taken aback by this, but quickly replied that it was very considerate of him to do so. He smiled and wrapped his arm around her. She turned to me and I could see that she was fighting to look like everything was okay.

"I guess this is goodbye then."
"Goodbye, Michelle."

When they had gone, it was all I could do to not scream and curse. It was so wrong - so immoral! And that man, that no good deadbeat of a man! I tried to calm myself and reminded myself to be charitable. My pulse was racing and I felt desperately ill at ease. Staring at the car keys hung on a hook by the door I could no longer stand to be in the same room with myself. I knew I had to do something, and so I grabbed the keys and sprang out the door. Maybe it wasn't too late to stop them - to stop her.

The brakes of the car screamed to a stop outside the local Planned Parenthood. I got out of the car and saw Michelle and Joe going up to the entrance.

"Michelle, stop! I'll do anything - you can stay with me and we'll do this together! You don't have to do this!"
"Now woman, you shut-up, turn your ass around and get back in that damn car. I'll be damned if I let you get in my way."
"Michelle, please! Please!"
"I'm so sorry Sarah, I'm so sorry."

Michelle started to cry as they stepped inside the building. I collapsed to my knees on the side walk; pulling at my hair in frustration. As it happened, gentle snowflakes started to flutter down around me. It was the first snow fall of the year, and had it been an other day I would have rejoiced and marvelled at the newly arrived winter scape. I got back to my feet and trudged back to the car. Some how, I managed to pull myself together enough that I could start making my way home again. However, when I turned the key in the ignition the radio also came to life, and just in time to hear the final verse of a song.

Just remember in the winter

Far beneath the bitter snows

Lies the seed that with the sun's love

In the spring becomes the rose.

At that point I just lost it. As the pure white snow continued to fall I cried, and I cried.

Libertarians Are Naturally Pro-Life

2012-10-13T01:07:00.000-06:00

Before we begin I would like to clarify that this statement only applies to philosophical libertarians and not cause-libertarians. Cause-libertarians are those who hold a libertarian perspective on only certain issues, for example supporting the full legalization of marijuana, or perhaps only going to war when said nation is actually attacked by another nation as opposed to so called "pre-emptive wars" or "humanitarian wars." A philosophical libertarian is someone who tries to apply libertarianism into every possible issue.

Since libertarianism is ultimately about removing unnecessary force and enjoying freedom which is tethered to personal responsibility, a philosophical libertarian will inevitably come to the conclusion, at least in my opinion, that abortion is morally wrong. What is abortion? The murdering of an unborn child. Libertarians value life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness which although these have been enshrined in the US Constitution they are in fact natural rights. That is, rights which are self-evident. Libertarians do not subscribe to using unnecessary force against their fellow human beings. Wait, wait - there are occasions when the use of force is okay? Well, yeah Libertarians are neither pacifists nor door mats. An example of justified force would be if I attempted to murder you or do you harm, you then have the right to use force in the form of self-defence to protect yourself. Likewise, an example of unjustified use of force would be for a complete stranger to molest you under the pretence of preventing potential terrorist actions. Yes, the TSA is an enshrinement of illegitimate force.

So how does this apply to the issue of abortion? Well, first of all genuine libertarians tend to be very well read since they no longer rely on others to do their thinking for them so that they can fit in comfortably with whichever group they like being a member of. As such, a genuine libertarian when deciding on the issue of abortion will inevitably study biology, or to be more specific, embryology. At which point they will confront the fact that since an unborn child is a human being they therefore have full human rights which can never be revoked, by the way. Libertarians, since they are not collectivists, do not believe in "women's rights" or "LGBT rights" or "African-American rights" or "rights for the unborn." Rather, they believe in human rights. That is, you do not get rights because you are a certain age, or a certain gender, or you skin is a certain colour, but rather you have rights simply by the virtue of being a human being. Of course, since these rights are self-evident this means that they do not come from the state, and since they do not come from the state the state can never revoke them.

Before you bring up rape, incest, and occasions when the mother would quite literally die -which is quite the knee-jerk reaction you have there- please be aware that these situations together only occur in less than 2% of abortion cases. You should also be aware that incest, rape, and fatal events for the mother do not magically make that unborn child cease to be a human being and thus its rights must nonetheless be considered. First, rape and incest - if you want to kill someone so badly why not go after the rapist? Why do people have such blood-lust for the innocent child? You realise you lose your credibility to feign outrage when children die for the actions of adults in other situations such as war, right? What, do you seriously think that because you don't see or hear the child being torn up in the womb that some how makes it okay to murder them for the actions of the father? Rather, and scientific studies back this up, it is better for the mental health of the mother to carry the child to term, and definitely better for her in a more tangible physical sense. What about cases when she could quite literally die? As it stands in the Western world, there is already almost no occasion that this is a justifiable reason as our medical science has advanced to such an extent and continues to, so really this is a none issue. For those handful of cases this is the case, more often women are being emboldened to refuse treatment for the sake of the child, and you know what - more and more often they both survive. Science is awesome!

This by the way is because unlike the Democratic and Republican conventions in the US, the Ron Paul "We Are The Future" /rally had such a loud and genuine pro-life vibe. If you missed it, I have located a playlist of it on YouTube and encourage you to watch it, as it was very awesome even if one is not American.

What Is The Mark Of The Beast?

2012-10-11T23:08:00.000-06:00

The most popular belief about the meaning of the mark is that it is perhaps a barcode or microchip. This was made most popular by "Left Behind" author Tim LaHaye. If you were to only look at those verses which are specific to the mark you would be hard pressed to disagree as the conclusion makes perfect sense given the description provided.

"And he shall make all, both little and great, rich and poor, freemen and bondmen, to have a character in their right hand, or on their foreheads. And that no man might buy or sell, but he that hath the character, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast. For it is the number of a man: and the number of him is six hundred sixty-six." (Revelation 13: 16-18)

The fate of those who have the mark can be found in Revelation 14:9-11.

However, my motive is not to critique these very popular beliefs, but simply to offer an alternative. Of course, since this is my own private revelation it has no real authority and should not be taken as such.

"Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole strength. And these words which I command thee this day, shall be in thy heart: And thou shalt tell them to thy children, and thou shalt meditate upon them sitting in thy house, and walking on thy journey, sleeping and rising. And thou shalt bind them as a sign on thy hand, and they shall be and shall move between thy eyes." (Deuteronomy 6:4-8) [Emphasis mine]

We often forget that during the time of Jesus Christ, as with the New Testament writers, that the Jews had memorised the Torah - that is, the Old Testament. So for example, when the Gospel of John opens with, "In the beginning, " the Jews would have immediately recalled the opening of the book of Genesis. So it is that when John had written of the mark of the Beast, the Jews would have immediately recalled those specific instructions of Moses and thus understood what was meant.

If then the mark of God is of those who keep His commandments and follow Him, what is the the mark of the Beast? I propose that the mark of the Beast is of those who do not keep the commandments of God and do not follow Him. What about not being able to buy or sell? There are many examples of this now and down through the ages when Christians have been persecuted. They have been subject to personal sanctions which means that one could have their livelihood, their rights, et cetera withheld until they were willing to deny Jesus Christ.

One knows very well if they have read the New Testament in full that faith in Jesus Christ is no light-hearted, everything is good, happy-happy adventure. Rather one has to look forward to persecutions, to hatred, to sufferings, and for some - martyrdom. There is no "Heaven is Now" for as St. Paul wrote in Romans 8:24-25 saying, "For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen, is not hope. For what a man seeth, why doth he hope for? But if we hope for that which we see not, we wait for it with patience." Does not Jesus Christ command us to deny ourselves and follow him? Ponder upon His life, for He is our example of what comes next for us and lo, the great tribulation comes and then the end. As St. Paul put it:

"Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain. And every one that striveth for the mastery, refraineth himself from all things: and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one. I therefore so run, not as at an uncertainty: I so fight, not as one beating the air: But I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway." (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

What is the number of the Beast - 666, what does it mean? I do not know about you, but since I am not wise I do not know. However, if I were to hazard a guess I would say its meaning can be found in John 6:66 which says, "After this many of his disciples went back; and walked no more with him."

I find it interesting that the cause of this great apostasy is due to a rejection of the Eucharist. Yes, the same God who created all things, who turned water to wine, and caused water to spring from a rock in the desert - yes this same God could not possibly give us His blood to drink under the appearance of wine and His flesh to gnaw on under the appearance of bread. "Many therefore of His disciples, when they had heard this, said, 'This is a hard saying, who can hear it?'" (John 6:60)

"And from the time when the continual sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination unto desolation shall be set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred ninety days." (Daniel 12:11)

"When therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place: he that readeth let him understand." (Matthew 24:15)

I found it very interesting to discover that St. Peter's Basilica in Rome -or more specifically, the Vatican- offers Mass daily. Some great Catholics did believe that the Anti-Christ will sit in the throne of Rome which makes sense as this is where the believers of Christ look to and it is the children of God the evil one has declared war on. Other great Catholics, however, believed that the evil one will sit in the throne in Jerusalem proper. For these, there are two Catholic Churches which offer daily Mass on the Mount of Olives (upon which Jesus ascended and will return), and the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre offers daily Mass as well (where Jesus was crucified and we know the Anti-Christ will try to pull himself off as the Christ). The Dome of the Rock was a Catholic Church at one point during the Crusades. Perhaps some day it might become a Catholic Church again, but that is very unlikely. Sorry dispensationalists.